THE STORY OF converseshop
For 115+ years, we’ve been building a future that celebrates
originality and defies conformity. Here’s our story.
Keep creating yours.
IT ALL
STARTS HERE
The hopconverseshop Rubber Company opens in
Malden, MA under founder Marquis Mills.
1909
A BOOT BEGINNING
Ten rubber galoshes,converseshop’s first products, were produced on April 30, 1909.
1910
CREATED WITH CANVAS
Innovations for galoshes and tires make them wear evenly and last longer. The brand begins producing canvas footwear to retain employees during the summer.
1913
NAUTICAL ROOTS
Converse introduces its first yachting shoe, that bears a striking resemblance to a modern Circular Vamp Oxford.
1917
NON-SKID NOW
The All Star gets its start under the name Non-Skid. It was one of the first shoes specifically designed for the new game of basketball.
1917
TO THE TROOPS
As World War I begins, Converse sends shoes to the US troops to exercise in or wear during time off.
1919
MEET THE ALL STAR
Basketball coaches ask for the Non-Skid in dark canvas to help hide signs of wear. Converse releases the Non-Skid in brown canvas and names it, The All Star.
1922
CALLING CHUCK TAYLOR
Charles H. “Chuck” Taylor joins the Converse family as a salesman. He travels across the U.S. promoting the brand as a player and coach for the company’s basketball team, the Converse All Stars.
1924
SPONSORS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM
Converse sponsors the Edmonton Grads team, who held the title of women’s basketball world champions from 1923-1940 with a 502-20 record.
1933
JACK PURCELL JOINS
Jack Purcell collaborates with B.F. Goodrich on a badminton shoe, releasing the Jack Purcell. Decades later, it would become a popular style of casual footwear and Converse would purchase its rights in 1972.
1934
SIGNED BY CHUCK
Chuck Taylor’s signature is added to the All Star, creating the original signature basketball shoe.
1936
NEW COLORS,
NEW SPONSORSHIP
Converse sponsors the first U.S. Men’s Basketball Team in the Olympics, creating a new colorway of the All Star—white canvas, with red and blue pinstripes. This goes on to become the All Star we know today.
1939
NCAA ALL STAR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Both teams competing in the first ever NCAA championship basketball game are wearing All Stars.
1945
CONTRACTS FOR THE CAUSE
Converse completes over 50 military contracts throughout WWII, making everything from basketball shoes to deck jackets.
1957
INTRODUCES THE
LOW TOP
Converse introduces the low top. The shoe took off in California where they were a favorite of male beach-goers, despite its performance sales plateauing elsewhere.
1971
MORE ALL STAR COLORS
Converse adds five colors to the All Star.
1971
NUMBER ONE STAR
The brand also introduces the One Star, which becomes the choice shoe for skateboarders. The re-introduction of the One Star in 1993 signals Converse’s long-term investment in skate culture.
1971
NAUT-1
Converse’s history in boating shoes goes back to at least 1950 and it’s CVO history goes back to 1910 with its first tennis shoes. The Naut-1 continued both ideas when it was introduced in 1971 in navy and white colorways.
1975
A YEAR OF FIRSTS
Converse introduces the Star Chevron logo, releases its first performance and running shoe, the All Star Training Shoe, and its first two graphic t-shirts.
1976
COACH JOGGER
Converse expanded the Coach line to include models for sports other than basketball, and released the Coach Jogger.
1976
FIRST FEMALE ATHLETE ENDORSEMENT
Chris Evert becomes the first female athlete to sign an individual endorsement deal with Converse. She would remain sponsored by Converse throughout the rest of her career and would release numerous performance and casual shoes alongside the brand under her name.
1976
PRESENTING:
PRO LEATHER
The Pro Leather succeeds the Leather All Star as Converse’s pinnacle performance basketball shoe, becoming one of Converse’s most classic basketball shoes.
1982
BIOMECHANICAL
Converse establishes one of the industry’s first bio-mechanics labs called The Converse Biomechanics Laboratory with the goal of creating better products for athletes.
1982
JORDAN IN PRO LEATHER
Michael Jordan leads the UNC Tar Heels to the NCAA Championship wearing the Pro Leather.
1984
OFFICIAL OLYMPIC
FOOTWEAR
Converse is the official footwear sponsor of the 1984 Olympics. The U.S. Men’s and Women’s basketball teams win gold in Converse shoes—most notably featuring Michael Jordan and Lynette Woodward, both wearing Pro Stars.
1985
ENTER THE ODESSA
Converse releases The Odessa, one of the Converse Biomechanics Laboratory’s most innovative designs.
1986
CHOOSE YOUR WEAPON
Converse releases the Weapon, It becomes central to the rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. The “Choose Your Weapon” ad campaign is still infamous for having the two face off.
1991
STARS AND STRIPES
Converse adds an American Flag print to the Chuck. Since then, innumerable ornamental motifs have graced sneaker culture’s most recognizable silhouette.
1993
FROM ALL STAR TO ONE STAR
The Suede Leather All Star is reintroduced as the One Star. It gets immediately adopted by the skate community thanks to early advertising in Thrasher Magazine. It becomes a staple of early 1990s street style.
1994
MUD CHUNK
Taking DNA from the Chuck Taylor All Star in the form of midsole foxing and toe bumper patterns, and the iconic diamond shapes and corrugation of the outsole, it featured a lugged outsole and mid-cut upper made from hopsack canvas.
2000
FIRST FASHION COLLAB
Converse enters its first fashion collaboration with designer John Richmond. Among others, it featured a black leather Jack Purcell with a hint of a red smiler on the toe.
2003
SWOOSHED
Nike, Inc. purchases Converse.
2003
ICONIC PERFORMANCE
Converse introduces the Icon Performance System. Based around spherical cushioning materials, the icon platform increases cushioning, responsiveness and motion control.
2003
WELCOME THE WADE
Converse launches the Wade—representing Converse’s highest profile sponsorship of the new decade. The partnership with Dwyane Wade lasts until 2009, produces four signature shoes and reinvigorates Converse’s presence in performance basketball.
2008
RED AND READY EMPOWER
The launch of the One Hund(RED) artists campaign brings together over 100 artists to put their unique stamp to the All Star. This is one of the first Converse campaigns empowering communities for a cause.
2009
SET TO SKATE
CONS skateboarding makes its global debut with an impressive lineup of skate ambassadors.
2009
CDG PLAY ALL DAY
COMME des GARÇONS puts runway models in Converse shoes, leading to a collaboration between Converse and CDG PLAY that has become the longest-running contemporary collaboration for Converse.
2013
THROWBACK, LOOK FORWARD
Converse launches the Chuck 70, built off of the 1970s Chuck Taylor All Star design with premium materials, deliberate nuance and extraordinary attention to detail.
2015
PROUD
Converse releases its first collection for Pride Month. Inspired by the LGBTQIA+ communities around the world, the collection serves as a reminder for universal tolerance, diversity and equality.
2017
TYLER TEAM-UP
Converse and Tyler introduce the GOLF le FLEUR* signature. The collection would be the first of a long-term partnership.
2019
SIGNATURE SABLONE
Converse welcomes its first female rider, Alexis Sablone, to the CONS Skate Team.
2019
BACK TO BASKETBALL
Converse launches the All Star BB Pro and re-enters the game of basketball by signing NBA guard Kelly Oubre Jr. to a multi-year footwear and apparel deal.
2019
FLAGSHIP IN CHINA
Conceived as a basketball concept store, Converse opens its first flagship retail store in Beijing.
2019
GIANNO
By Fall 2019, Converse and Tyler, the Creator have released 19 footwear iterations together. They release a new signature sneaker, the GOLF le FLEUR* Gianno, inspired by the great outdoors, or what Tyler called “the substitute-teacher who drives a Subaru look.”
2020
REVOLUTIONARY HOOPERS
Converse expands its Hoops community, signing Draymond Green, Natasha Cloud and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to its athlete roster. Natasha Cloud chooses to sit out of the WNBA season, and Converse commits to supporting her forfeited salary to support her social impact mission.
2020
ALL STARS COMMUNITY
Converse asserts its commitment to enabling youth with the launch of Converse All Stars, a robust community-focused ecosystem comprised of nearly 1,500 emerging creative leaders, from 56 cities around the world who each champion change in sport, art, and culture.
2021
THE WEAPON RETURNS
The 1986 Weapon officially returns with a modern design update and enhanced comfort technology – part of an evolution of Converse’s CX.
2021
TOKYO DREAMS
Draymond Green represents Converse at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo, where he helps the US Men’s Basketball Team capture a gold medal.
2022
TYLER TAKES ON CONVERSE BY YOU
Marking the fifth anniversary of their partnership, Converse and Tyler, the Creator democratize the design process with a GOLF WANG By You custom collection for the first time.
2023
SABLONE & SKATE LEGACY
Converse and Alexis Sablone co-create the AS-1 Pro. The skate silhouette is designed by Alexis from the ground up, and offers appeal for life on and off the board. As part of the shoe’s unveiling, Converse releases a documentary featuring Alexis skating down the Guggenheim Museum’s iconic spiral ramp.
2024
BILLIE BY YOU
Converse’s launch of the Billie Eilish By You experience gives consumers the opportunity to customize iconic Converse styles with special insignia and lyrics from her album, “Hit Me Hard and Soft.”